


Lilies that fester

by Vae



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-14
Updated: 2008-02-14
Packaged: 2017-12-06 20:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/739940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vae/pseuds/Vae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack sends Gwen on an errand; she encounters a strange man who doesn't seem so strange to Jack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lilies that fester

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [](http://lvs2read.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://lvs2read.livejournal.com/)**lvs2read** for the beta check.
> 
> I do not own intellectual copyright of these characters or their worlds. All hail Auntie Beeb. No profit is being made here; imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

"Oh, hello! It's _you_ , isn't it? Brilliant!"

Gwen ignored the voice. She didn't recognise it, therefore it couldn't be referring to her, and she could safely concentrate on getting back to the Hub with the samples Jack had sent her after.

It was going to be a long time before she forgave him for that. There were probably more disgusting things in the universe than samples of Lyraesian effulgent, but Gwen had never encountered them. Neither did she particularly want to, thank you very much. It wasn't so much the eye-watering colour as the stench emanating from the supposedly sealed containers cradled in the carry case that she apparently couldn't hold at arm's length because the bloody stuff was too volatile to risk agitating it. She was going to need a hot shower - several hot showers - and a change of clothes before she could even think about going home to Rhys.

Special Forces never had to deal with anything that stank so badly. Neither did she, usually, but Owen had gone to Scotland. She could only hope that whatever he was elbow deep in, it was even more unpleasant. And _lingered_.

"Bit of a jump, isn't it? Channel for the Gelth to harvesting Lyraesian reproductive fluids? Oh, sorry, bit different from how you last saw me, always forgetting. I'm the Doctor. Remember me?"

Gwen stopped and stared. Not so much because the tall, skinny man jogging along backwards in front of her appeared to believe that he knew her, but more because she was very sure that the number of people in Cardiff who even knew that Lyrae was or would be inhabited was very very small. Smaller than the chance of her forgiving Jack any time in the next century.

Reproductive fluids?

The self-proclaimed doctor stopped as well, beamed at her, and extended a hand. Then he looked at her burden, wrinkled his nose, and withdrew his hand, using it to give her a cheery wave instead. "Hello."

 _Harvesting?_ Oh, God.

"I'm sorry," she said, very firmly. "But whoever you think I am, I'm not, and I have to get back to work."

"Oh, that's alright, I'll just tag along. Fancy seeing _you_ here, though! I thought..." The smile faded, and he stopped, frowning at her, every trace of delight fading away to intent scrutiny. "No. You _died_."

Despite herself, a shiver worked its way along Gwen's spine, and she continued walking, determined not to show any uncertainty to the maniac who'd apparently attached himself to her. "That wasn't me, and I'll thank you to keep your thinking to yourself."

"Amazing," he said reflectively. "Absolutely amazing. Some kind of descendant, then? When am I?"

That was enough. Anyone asking that kind of question was officially Torchwood business, and that made the Doctor officially Jack's problem. "I think you'd better come along with me, sir."

"Isn't that what I'm doing?"

There was enough injured innocence in that question to have Gwen rolling her eyes and suppressing a smile.

Definitely Jack's problem.

The tourist office was deserted when they reached it, and Gwen carefully shifted the case to rest against her hip while she reached below the counter to activate the door. She hoped that Ianto's absence didn't mean that Jack would be occupied - again - but the Hub below was just as quiet. Not even the usual clatter of keyboards from Tosh's workstation. Just the quiet circling of Myfanwy far above, and no sign of Ianto or Tosh.

Or Jack.

Oh, no, not again.

"Jack?" she called carefully, ignoring the way the Doctor's eyes snapped to her at the mention of the name. "Jack, are you here?"

"No," came the muffled reply promptly, from the direction of Jack's office. It certainly sounded like Jack's voice. "I'm here."

For the love of God. "Jack, I've got another one. Wants to know when he is."

There was a distant curse in a language she didn't recognise, and then Jack became visible through the glass walls of his office, crawling out from underneath his desk. He caught her questioning look, and shook his head. "Don't ask. Where's the..."

His voice tailed off, and he stood up abruptly, pausing to flick his eyes over the Doctor before coming out to meet them, hands pushed firmly into his pockets. "Doctor."

"Jack," the Doctor returned dryly. "Lyraesians, Cardiff, sex...I should have guessed that you'd be involved."

"You never mentioned _sex_ , Jack," Gwen insisted, not sure if the canisters were actually giving off less stench or if her olfactory system had just closed down in self-defence. From the expression on Jack's face, the latter was more likely. "Wait, you know this man?"

And the Doctor apparently knew Jack. She glanced from one to the other, her tentative smile fading as she took in the tension in Jack's posture and the set of his mouth. "Jack?"

"Gwen," Jack said levelly, never taking his eyes off the Doctor. "Take those down to the lab, lock them away, and then go take a shower. A long shower. Maybe even several showers."

"But, Jack..."

"I, ah..." the Doctor interjected, mirroring Jack's posture and not looking at her either. "Think he's trying to say that you reek, Gwen. Nice name."

Backing up a step, she tried again to catch Jack's eye, and failed. "Jack?"

"Right. Gwen Cooper, this is the Doctor, I'm sure you're both very pleased to meet each other, now _go_. And when you're done with your shower, go home."

There was no room for argument left in Jack's voice. It was a tone she didn't hear aimed in her direction much, more often at Owen or even Ianto, but she understood it perfectly well.

With one last look at the two men, she tucked the canisters closer against her body, wrinkled her nose at the renewed stink, and went.

Jack would have to answer to her about the sexual emissions of Lyraesians another time.


End file.
